⁴ But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him,^(A) objected, ⁵ “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.^[a]” ⁶ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag,^(B) he used to help himself to what was put into it.

⁷ “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.^{(C) 8} You will always have the poor among you,^[b](D) but you will not always have me.”